Dr. Sudha Rao is a pediatric hematology and pediatric oncology specialist in Chicago, IL and New Lenox, IL. Areas of particular interest for Dr. Rao include cancer and blood disorders. Dr. Rao accepts Blue Cross Blue Shield HMO, United Healthcare Plans, United Healthcare HMO, and more. Before completing her residency at John Stroger Hospital of Cook County, Dr. Rao attended medical school at Government Medical College. In addition to English, Dr. Rao (or staff) speaks Telugu, Tamil, and Hindi. Her professional affiliations include Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine and Children's Hospital of Chicago Faculty Practice Plan.

Dr. Aasita Patel is a medical specialist in adult cardiology and nuclear cardiology. Clinical interests for Dr. Patel include cardiac risk reduction, carotid artery disease, and heart attack. Aetna EPO, Blue Cross/Blue Shield, and Coventry are among the insurance carriers that Dr. Patel accepts. Dr. Patel's education and training includes medical school at Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science, Chicago Medical School and the University of Illinois College of Medicine at Chicago and residency at a hospital affiliated with the University of Illinois at Chicago. Dr. Patel (or staff) speaks the following languages: Gujarati and Hindi. She is professionally affiliated with Alexian Brothers Medical Center, St. Alexius Medical Center, and Adventist Medical Center GlenOaks.

Dr. Jeffrey Freihage specializes in adult cardiology and interventional cardiology. These areas are among his clinical interests: cardiac risk reduction, transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR), and carotid artery disease. He honors Preferred Network Access (PNA), Blue Cross Blue Shield HMO, and United Healthcare HMO, as well as other insurance carriers. Dr. Freihage graduated from Loyola University Chicago, Stritch School of Medicine. For his professional training, Dr. Freihage completed a residency program at a hospital affiliated with Loyola University. In addition to English, he speaks Spanish. He is professionally affiliated with Alexian Brothers Medical Center, Adventist Medical Center GlenOaks, and Adventist Health Network (AHN).

An oncologist is a physician who is concerned with the treatment of tumors and cancers. Cancer is when cells in the human body grow in an abnormal or out-of-control way. The goal of oncology is to cure a patient’s cancer, or, if the cancer is incurable, to control the cancer and reduce the symptoms for as long as possible.

Oncologists have several roles in their interaction with patients. They diagnose cancer and determine what stage the cancer is in, or to what extent the cancer has grown. They explain the diagnosis and stage to the patient, and they recommend treatment and deliver care. During treatment, oncologists are responsible for maintaining quality of life for their patients by reducing pain and side effects from medications.

There are three main types of oncologists:

Medical Oncologists specialize in the use of medications, especially chemotherapy, to kill cancer cells. In some areas, the term “medical oncologist” refers to the oncologist who is overall in charge of making decisions about a patient’s treatment.

Surgical Oncologists specialize in surgical treatments for cancer, such as biopsies (where small tissue samples are taken and examined), or surgical removal of tumors and surrounding tissue.

Radiation Oncologists specialize in the use of radiation (a kind of high powered x-ray) to kill cancer.

The American Society of Clinical Oncology also recognizes the subspecialties of Gynecological Oncology, which focuses on cancers of the female reproductive tract, and Pediatric Oncology, which deals with cancers that are most common in childhood.

In the United States, nearly one-half of all men and one-third of all women will be diagnosed with cancer in their lifetimes. It is an unfortunately common disease that can sometimes be life-threatening. Oncologists provide care to millions of people facing that diagnosis every year.

Hematology is a medical specialty that focuses on diseases of the blood, bone marrow, and lymphatic system. Blood flows to every cell in our body and is extremely important to our survival. Problems with the production of blood cells or cancers that affect the blood can be very dangerous. Hematologists treat these and other diseases, such as:

Anemia, a low level of red blood cells

Low levels of white blood cells or platelets

Bleeding disorders, such as hemophilia

Clotting disorders, such as deep vein thrombosis

Cancers of the blood, such as leukemia and lymphoma

To diagnose a blood disorder, hematologists may look at the blood under a microscope in a procedure called a blood smear. They may order a lab test of the blood called a complete blood count. This test measures the levels of red and white blood cells, platelets, and hemoglobin in your blood. They may do lab tests to measure the levels of proteins in your blood needed for bleeding and clotting. They may even do a bone marrow biopsy to check a small sample of bone marrow for problems in how blood is being produced.

A hematologist may work with all kinds of patients. Specialized hematologists called pediatric hematologists work only with children. All hematologists work to diagnose disease and prescribe treatments in order to care for their patients. They also work with general practice physicians, pediatricians, oncologists, transplant specialists, and others to guide treatment. Healing any problems with your blood is the first step towards your whole body feeling better.